Manhole switch



Patented Aug. 1e, 1927.

*UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. j

PAUL vv.k KOCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, :BY .Masiva ASSIGNMENTS, To

fCONDIT ELECTRICAL MANUTACTURING CORPORATION, loir IBOSTON, `MASSACHU- {SETTS n CORPORATION lOF MASSACHUSETTS. y

MANHOLE SWITCH;

panneau mea April 14, 1924. Serial No. 706,326.

. l5 switches. v

Fig.'I 1 is ya Side elevationillustrating .a manhole .switch embodying `*the invention.

Fig. 2 4'is Aan yenlarged Ysectional view, in

detail of the novely features contained in -the switohof Fig. 1. 'A n y Fig. 3 is aview Similar .to Fig.y .2, but

Showing` `a. modification ofthe control mech` anism. y.

' AS here shown, the manhole-type switch contained 1in tlf-compartment 10 located below :the ground or streetr level 1-1., The

switch;12` may. befofany` suitable /or desir# able construction. and, las here fshown, iscom- 30 pletely -enclosedand is water-and gas tight except as may be described'-Qhereimrfter.y

Circuitleads may entergtheswitch casing through the bushingsor insulators 13. The switch may besupported in any Suitable manner as 4by the flange 14e` lfroma beam 15. The switch isprovded ywith -a :suitablye supportedv lrotatable operating shaft ,16, `Eig.- 2, which is vconnected iwithjsuitable qperating mechanism, notnecessarily-shown, vand is adapted 5to .be rocked or partially vrotated in fone 'direction ito` open the circuit Y'through the Switch, and 1inA thewopposite Adirection `-to close 'the circuit `through thev switch.

Grdinarily it hasbeen necessary jto Tremove the manhole cover, by .which to Vgain access tothe switch compartment, andenter the compartment in order to voperate the' switch, thereby requiring the expenditur of considerable time 'and labor, and causing l.the

50 operative *to be .inproximity with live con'- embodying the Yinvention is adaptedto beA ductors. In accordance with this invention, means are provided by which ,theswitc'h may be Operatedl readily from the switch level, thereby to eliminate the above and other detriments.

To this end the loperating shaft is extended outwardly beyond Vthe switch casing through an `aperture 17 inthe Wafllthereof. Preferably, although not lnecessarily said aperture `is appreciably vlarger than said shaft whereby 'to .provide a vent Apassage from the interior of ythe switch casing. Said shaift :is adapted .tof extend, also,

through an aperture 18 in a bracket 20,

which bracket maybe Secured, preferably removably, to the external face of the switch casing by suitable 'means as the screws 2l. Sadaperture 18, also, maybe a vent aper` tigre `rand Ais aligned with `the vent-.aperture lV said operating shaft .and fis adapted tobe engaged .by a Second bevel ,gear 23. .Said bevel gear 23 is =Or .maybe fixed to the lower Vendl of a vertically disposed control sha-ft 24, which shaft :is adapted to extend upwardly toward the surface of the ground. Thelower end of said Shaft may berotatably supported -i-n .the foot 20a of vsaid `bracket 2() .whereby to maintain proper .meshing of the gears.

. o An enclosing casing yor housing .-30 is adapted ltojsurround said .gears and bracket, and said cas1ng 1s or .may Ibe secured, preferablyr removably, and 1n .a water and `gas ytight manner, jto the switch casing, v.about said operating shaft 16, and .apertures17 and 18by the bolts 31, yor other suitable means. The upper endofsaid-casing. may be :formed yor 'provided with anjinternallly screw-threaded 4opening? 32 into which the lower end of a -pipe33 may lbev threaded;V and vsaid control shaft 24 is adapted 'to :ein

, tend upwardly within said fpipe.

, Said pipe ..33 is extended Vupwardly above the yswitch and :through the ceilingof the switchecompartment and, preferably, terr-V minates just .below the ground level, where its `upper -end has fscrew-threaded .thereto la surface member 34, which ymemberis, in

eect, a coritinuationka'nd. .enlargement of A bevel Zgear .221s fixed to the end of said pipe. Preferably said surface member is formed with a peripherally-outstanding flange 34 which is adapted to be inset in the surface of the ground and be substantially flush with the surface thereof. Said surface member is or may be formed or provided with a chamber 35 in which the upper end of said control shaft 24: is received. The upper end of said shaft may be suitably formed, as by being provided with the square head 36, to receive a wrench or other suitable tool by which to rot-ate said shaft, which tool may be introduced into said compartment 35 through the open upper end or entrance thereof.

It is apparent that the rotation of Said control shaft 24 will be transferred through the bevel gears 23 and 22 to the operating shaft, whereby the switch may be controlled from the surface of the ground.

Normally the compartment 35 may be sealed against entrance of moisture or gas by the plug 38, which plug may be removn ably screw-threaded in the entrance of said surface member, thereby to seal the upper end of said compartment 35, and, consequently, the interior of said pipe 33, casing v30, and switch casing. Then the switch is to be operated said plug may be removed and, for this purpose, may be formed with the non-circular recess 39, or equivalent means, adapted to receive a wrench or other suitable tool.

Vhile the construction above set forth is intended to provide for a normally gas tight and non-vented switch, if it is desired to provide for a continually-operative switch vent, the plug 3S may be replaced by a plug 38a, shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, which plug may be formed with i an external wrench-engaging portion 39, and a vent pipe 42, which vent pipe may be in constant communication with the chamber 35 at all times while the plug is in place in said surface member. It is apparent that there is free gaseous communication between the atmosphere and the interior of the switch casing by means of the vent passages 17 and i3, saidvent pipe and the mechanism-enclosing casing comprising said member 34, pipe 33, and casing 30.

For some purposes `it may be desirable to omit the control shaft 2% as a normal part of the control mechanism and resortto the construction illustrated in Fig. 3. In this ligure, the bevel gear 23, corresponding to gear 23, is 'journallcd directly in the bracket 20, and is provided with a tool-engaging member, as the squared hub 23h, by which the gear may be rotated. /Vhen the switch is to be operated, an operating tool having a relatively long shank 249, corresponding to shaft 24, `is adapt-ed to be extended downwardly in the pipe 23 through the entrance thereto, and said shank 2st may have a lower Socket 24h adapted to engage the hub 23h, whereby to rotate said gear and consequently operate the switch.

The construction may be otherwise modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. The combination of -an underground compartment, an electric switch contained in said compartment having an enclosing casing, an operating member extended through said casing and terminated adjacent the surface, a conduit enclosing said operating member and extended from the surface of the switch casing and having a water tight connection with said switch casing, and a removable closure for the surfaceend of said conduit above the end of said operating member, said conduit and switch casing having provision for free gaseous in tercommunication.

2. The combination of an underground compartment, an electric switch contained in said compartment having an enclosing casing. an operating member extended through said casing and terminated adjacent the surface, a conduit enclosing said operating member and extended from the surface to the switch casing and having a water tight connection with said switch casing, and a removable closure for the surface-end of said conduit above the end of said operating member, said closure having a vent passage therethrough which establishes gaseous communication between said conduit and the atmosphere, and said conduit and switoh-cas ing having provision for free gaseous intercommunication.

3. The combination of an underground compartment, an electric switch contained in said compartment, said switch having an enclosing casing, a vent conduit in communication with said switch casing and eX- tended upwardly above the switch casing and compartment and terminated approximately at the surface of the ground, and a switch operating member disposed in said vent conduit in a position to be operated from the surface of the ground.

4i. A manhole-type electric switch having an enclosing casing, a mechanism-enclosing casing secured to one side of said switch casing and extended upwardly thereabove and having an entrance at its upper end. a switch-operating shaft extended from the switch casing into said mechanisirrenclosing casing, a gear fixed to the extended end of said shaft, a second gear journalled in said mechanism-enclosing casing and meshed with said first gear, and means to operate said first gear through the entrance of said mechanism-enclosing casing.

5. A manholetype electric switch havingr an enclosingcasing, a mechanism-enclosing casing secured to said switch casing and extended upwardly thereabove and having an entrance at its upper end, a Switch-operan ing shaft-extended from the switch easing into said mechanism-enclosing casing, a gear 5 xed to the extended end of said shaft, a second Agear journalled in Said mechanismen e'losng casing and meshed with said first gear, means to operate `said rst gear through the entrance of sai name to this specific ation.

y PAUL W. Koor-1.7; 

